Over The Hills And Far Away
by Keeralie Starflight
Summary: Chance, son of Campion and Blackberry, is accused and convicted of a crime he did not commit. One thing keeps him from saying where he really was when the crime was committed. Chance's journey sometimes almost seems to shadow that of Campion's, but at other times, his path leads him in new directions. Will he ever clear his name and return to the Down?
1. Chapter 1

**OK, here goes the explanation. This entire thing is based on a song. Over The Hills And Far Away, by Nightwish. Well, other than one little line, the song is my favorite. And it gives me ideas. So this is the idea that has been most principal in my head. Originally, this was to be about Campion. But I decided, for the sake of variety, to make this story about his son Chance. Song is not mine, Watership Down is definitely not mine(if it was they would have kept making the TV series), but Chance and most all the other characters are. One more thing, this doesn't tie in to anything else I have written. As in, he is not a sibling of any of my OC children of Campion and Blackberry previously mentioned in anything else I've written. This is an experiment to see how I perform writing season three based fics. Also, this may not get updated frequently, unless like ten people review it, but I will try to get a chapter out every week or so. That said, do enjoy! (The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are verses of the song. Lyrics don't always fit, but it helps to see where I'm coming from, no?)**

Chapter One:

_"They came for him one winter's night._  
_Arrested, he was bound._  
_They said there'd been a robbery,_  
_his pistol had been found."_

It was early evening on Watership Down, although telling the rabbits so would have made no difference, as all they knew was that Frith had set for the night. It was deep winter, and most of the rabbits, hungry and cold, had fallen asleep huddled together in the deepest burrows. However, in one burrow close to the surface, a young buck slept alone. He was a deep sienna brown, his eyes, had they been open, would be seen as a light blue. His chest fur was a light beige color, as was his muzzle and ear tips. His name was Chance, who preferred to live alone since the death of his father and closest friend, Campion.

Chance's rest was interrupted when several rabbits burst into his burrow. Their leader blocked Chance's way to the burrow entrance as the other buck leaped to his feet. He was a large black and grey buck with cruel pale blue eyes.

"What do you have to say for yourself this time, Chance?" he asked mockingly.

"What are you talking about?" Chance asked in evident confusion.

"You're under arrest!" the other buck snarled.

"Arrest? What for?"

"You know Frithing well!" the buck retorted, "And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about!"

"Shay, what is going on?"

"That's Captain Shay to you, traitor!" the black buck snarled, leaping at Chance. However, he had not remembered Chance's unusual fighting skill, until a kick from the other buck sent him smashing into the burrow wall. Chance wheeled round to face the other two rabbits, but they were already on him, and in a moment he was stretched senseless on the burrow floor.

Shay glared down at the unconscious buck.

"You'll pay for killing Mallow-rah's kits, murdering scum!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

_"__They marched him to the station house,_  
_he waited for the dawn._  
_And as they led him to the dock,_  
_he knew that he'd been wronged._  
_"You stand accused of robbery,"_  
_he heard the bailiff say._  
_He knew without an alibi,_  
_tomorrow's light would mourn his freedom."_

Chance awoke to see Shay standing over him.

"Any more tantrums?" Shay taunted, "We're ready for you now!"

Chance struggled against the two Owslars who held him fast.

"Let go!" he cried, "Let go, or tell me what I am accused of having done!"

"Why should we tell you what you already know?" Shay asked, "Get up. We're taking you to Mallow-rah."

Chance sighed. He knew exactly what he had done, but he didn't see how Shay could have found out.

The sienna buck allowed the Owslars to lead him out of the burrow, and out into the open. Although it was late, there were many rabbits outside. Chance's eyes searched the crowd until he saw his mother. Blackberry was standing close to his little sister, Daisy. Her blue eyes were wide with confusion and worry, while Daisy looked like she was about to cry. His gaze roved further, eagerly scanning the crowd until he saw _her_. Her big green eyes met his for a fraction of a second, then he looked away. If he even looked at her now, it could incriminate him.

Finally, they halted in front of a small, wiry brown buck. Mallow-rah resembled his father, Hazel, in build, but his fur colors were more like those of his uncle, Fiver. The Chief Rabbit's big blue eyes surveyed Chance gravely.

"Do you know why you are here, Chance?" he said softly. Chance shook his head.

"No, Mallow-rah."

"You are here," Mallow-rah said, "Because this very night, my kits were kidnapped. Shay found all three dead at the bottom of the Down. With your scent on them, Chance."

"I was nowhere near the bottom of the Down then!" Chance protested, "Mallow, you've got to believe me..."

Shay cuffed him.

"That's Mallow-rah to you!"

"Shay, don't!" Mallow said, "Chance, can you prove where you were when the kidnapping and murder occurred? If not, you know the consequences."

Chance looked straight at his Chief. He knew what his answer must be, but he also knew that that answer would seal his destiny.

"No, Mallow-rah. I can not tell you."

* * *

**I know the chapters are short, but they probably will get longer. Please review, even if it's only one word. ;) I know it takes a couple minutes, but I don't care if the review is a century from now, I'll read it. **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

_"Over the hills and far away,_  
_for ten long years he'll count the days._  
_Over the mountains and the seas,_  
_a prisoner's life for him there'll be."_

The next morning, the sun shone down on a peaceful landscape. Peaceful except for one small flaw. Chance lay unconscious on the ground some distance from Watership Down. He had been brutally beaten by Shay and the Owsla before they had left him here. Shay's final words to him were still fresh in his mind.

"And remember, Chance, if you ever come back, we will kill you. Ten seasons. If you live that long."

A gang of crows had noticed the unconscious buck. They hovered nearby, not sure whether he was dead or not. One, bolder than the rest, came close and pecked at him. Chance's eyes snapped open, and he kicked out at the crow, although a bit weakly. The crow retreated, but not for long. Chance looked around and noticed a small opening between the rocks. He struggled to his feet and slipped into the opening. Almost immediately afterwards, his legs gave out, and he fell heavily to the ground. He fell instantly into a deep sleep.

* * *

Chance woke in a place he had never seen, but he suspected he should recognize. To his surprise, he saw her. Standing atop a high rock, alone. The green eyes were wide with fear. At first he could see no cause, but then, a huge rabbit appeared. He opened his mouth, and dark clouds swirled out, enveloping her. Chance leaped forward, hoping to help, stop whatever was wrong, but suddenly, Shay appeared in front of him. The big black buck was directly in his path. Chance growled at him, and when he glanced back up at the ledge, he saw that the smoke had transformed into the Black Rabbit of Inle.

_"Don't look behind you, Blossom, don't look!"_

But of course, she did.

"No!"

* * *

He thought he remembered waking up. But the next thing Chance knew, he was somewhere totally different. The place was grey all around. Chance looked up and realized he was in a cave. The place was quite dark and very forbidding. He looked over at the far wall of the cavern, and saw, to his great surprise, a dark mist collecting there. And then, from out of the mist, there rose a black shape.

"The Black Rabbit of Inle!" Chance muttered, "Why... I'm not dead!"

The Black Rabbit made a noise that _might_ have been a laugh. It was hard to tell.

"Your father wanted to die. You do not?"

"I am not my father," Chance said pointedly, "And that is not a subject you want to discuss."

"Threatening is useless."

"I have nothing to lose."

"You have your friend."

"Don't you even..." Chance growled.

_"I am being threatened by a rabbit," _the Black Rabbit thought, _"This will be even more interesting than last time."_

"Your destiny lies away from that warren. Away from her."

"Then I'll change my destiny," Chance said, "You don't control me."

"But I do."

* * *

Chance did what he had always done. He moved on. But some strange things began to happen to him as the seasons passed. His fur, once sienna, darkened until it was nearly black. His eyes stayed the same for the most part, but sometimes, as he passed a pool of water, he noticed that his eyes flashed red. He didn't realize what was happening to him, until he happened upon a group of young Owslars. Not Watershippers, but they took one look and ran away screaming. Something about the Black Rabbit, he thought. That night, he sat staring at his reflection for a long time. That was the night he realized that even if he could clear his name, he could never go home. Because, if he went back, who would recognize him?


	4. Chapter 4

**This the one with the part of the song I don't like. Just...ignore the second to last line, it has nothing to do with the storyline anyway. I would cut it out, but, I will not stoop to vandalism of a song.**

Chapter Four:

_"He knew that it would cost him dear,_  
_but yet he dared not say._  
_Where he had been that fateful night,_  
_a secret it must stay._  
_He had to fight back tears of rage._  
_His heart beat like a drum._  
_For with the wife of his best friend,_  
_he spent his final night of freedom."_

And so the seasons passed. Chance roamed the land as it pleased him, unconsciously spreading a legend of a rabbit who resembled he of all rabbit kind's greatest fears, a living, breathing, Black Rabbit of Inle, who walked the land alone, never speaking, never smiling. But through all that time, he never regretted his banishment. Except on a few moonless nights, when sleep deserted him. Then he would lie awake, and remember her.

You couldn't have blamed Mallow. You really couldn't. It made sense that he would want his heir to be a buck fit to be Chief. But keeping his eldest kit, his only daughter, Blossom, separate from even talking with any buck had been going a little too far. It had all started by accident. Not long after his father's death, Chance had been wandering around not far from the warren, when he heard a commotion. Curious, he had gone to investigate, and had found a doe being attacked by a fox. Saving her life was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Until he found out exactly who she was. Blossom wasn't allowed to talk to any buck, let alone one like him. Still, apparently she wasn't the one that made that rule, because she asked if they could meet again. And they did, up until the night Chance was banished. Blossom was the reason he had held his silence. Because he couldn't bear to think what Mallow might do if he found out. All he had wanted to do was protect Blossom. But maybe, if he really wanted that, he should never have become friends with her in the first place. He should have refused to see her again. But he hadn't, and it was too late. So all alone he wandered, forever with a shadow on his soul.

* * *

**Forgive the morbidness of this story. It gets better. Less morbid, I mean. And also the next chapter will be loooongeeeer. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

_"Over the hills and far away,_  
_he swears he will return one day._  
_Far from the mountains and the seas,_  
_back in her arms he swears he'll be._  
_Over the hills and far away."_

One morning, Chance had been simply wandering along, minding his own business, and so far, not scaring anyone witless, when he was confronted with a deep gorge with a river running through it. The dark-furred buck immediately began looking for a way across. He could have gone around, but it never occurred to him. He liked a challenge, and this looked like one. Then he spotted a narrow log spanning the gorge. He hopped over and inspected it closely. It looked safe, so he cautiously put a little weight on it. Still it held, so he stepped out. That was a mistake. The log instantly began to shake, and before Chance could react, it gave way under him. For a terrible moment, Chance felt himself falling. Then, suddenly, he felt someone grab him from behind and pull him to safety.

"That would've been a nasty fall."

Chance looked up and saw a young doe about his own age looking at him in an odd way. She immediately struck him as familiar, although he wasn't quite sure why.

"Who're you?" he growled.

"Svetlana," the doe answered casually, "You?"

"Chance."

The doe stood up casually.

"Well, Chance, wanna come with me to my place? Better'n bein' a hlessi, anyway."

Chance eyed the doe suspiciously. He had come to expect any rabbit he saw to immediately assume that he was the Black Rabbit of Inle. Svetlana, however, seemed to not notice, or if she did, she didn't care. Perhaps his eyes were not flashing red at the moment? He guessed that they probably were not, as the odd phenomenon only seemed to occur when he was angry. He still suspected a trap. Still, he was tired and hungry, and a safe place to rest for the night would be so nice...

"All right," he agreed. Svetlana smiled.

"Good. Follow me, then."

As he followed the doe, time and time again he found himself wondering why all this seemed so familiar. This high ridge with a narrow path, felt as if he had walked through it before. And when they came to a place filled with broken cars and other wreckage, he felt he could have navigated it with his eyes closed. And yet he didn't remember coming here before.

Svetlana hurried ahead of him and spoke sharply to two guards, both bucks. They nodded, and then rushed off. She turned back to him.

"You coming?"

He nodded, and continued after her. They had not gone far, when a huge cream colored buck appeared and stepped in front of Svetlana.

"You've been gone for three days, Svetlana. Are you all right?"

She tried to push past him.

"Will you quit worrying about me, Granite? I can take care of myself."

Granite sighed in frustration. Chance guessed this was not the first time Svetlana had disappeared and reappeared in a similar fashion.

"You sound just like Spartina," Granite said, "You think you can take care of yourself, but you can't. Next thing I know you'll run off with one of those other rabbits, just like her."

"I've heard it all before," Svetlana yawned, "I'm not your sister, as a matter of fact I don't even know her. And, by the way, I brought you a prisoner."

They both turned to look at Chance, who growled at Svetlana. He could not believe he had been taken in by this doe. Then again, females would do that to you.

"No need for that now," Svetlana said, "You'll only make things worse for yourself."

Granite was eyeing him with evident suspicion and possible recognition.

"You look familiar," he said at last, "In two different ways."

"I suspect I'll look even more different after I kill you both," Chance snarled.

"Do you know a rabbit called Campion?" Granite asked. Chance froze.

"Why? Would that be of interest to you?"

"Everything is of interest to him," Svetlana said, "Especially things that don't exist."

"I told you it does exist," Granite argued, "I saw it. I don't know what I saw, but it was there, and the Dark One and everybody from here was gone."

Chance blinked. Dark One! He was in more trouble than he had thought, if these two were Darkhaveners.

Svetlana laughed.

"You're crazy," Svetlana told Granite, "Now what about this prisoner?"

Granite shrugged.

"Get Sander to help you with him if he won't cooperate."

"You're helpful," Svetlana said sarcastically, then turned to Chance.

"Coming?"

Chance sighed. He really didn't have much of a choice. The dark buck followed Svetlana, albeit reluctantly. Granite, meanwhile, stood staring after him, still trying to figure out why this strange hlessi seemed so familiar.

* * *

**Spartina quote stuck in my head! Stupid Spartina, out! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! No, that's a Woundwort quote...GRR! **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

_"Each night within his prison cell,_  
_he looks out through the bars._  
_He reads the letters that she wrote._  
_One day he'll know the taste of freedom."_

Chance spent weeks in Darkhaven. The dark-furred buck kept himself at a distance from everyone, although Svetlana seemed drawn to him, for some unknown reason. The doe made every effort to make him feel at home in the warren, which earned Chance the wrath of a buck known as Sander, who quite obviously considered himself Svetlana's boyfriend.

Chance quite frankly did not care for Svetlana, and wished she would leave him alone, but the doe kept on pestering him relentlessly, until he finally snapped.

"Svetlana!" he growled, "Will you stop flirting with me? I am not interested in flirting with you, so will you kindly leave me be?"

The brown doe looked surprised.

"Was that flirting?"

"In its most annoying sense!" Chance groaned, "Now go away!"

To his great astonishment, Svetlana looked repentant.

"Sorry," she said gruffly, "It's just I never met someone like you before."

"Sander would have my head if he heard you saying that," Chance told her, "He already tried to challenge me to single combat."

"What's wrong with Sander?" Svetlana asked.

"He thinks you like me better than him."

"I like you in a different way, but your both impossible," Svetlana said. She stopped and thought for a minute.

"You're not doing anything for us by staying here, are you?"

"No."

Svetlana's eyes narrowed.

"If I help you leave Darkhaven, can I come?"

"Why would I want your help, Svetlana? You've been nothing but trouble."

"Do you want to leave or not?"

Chance sighed.

"Yes. Do you have a plan?"

Svetlana grinned at him.

"That depends on how long it takes me to convince Sander that he's coming with us."

Chance groaned.

_"Oh, no."_

* * *

Apparently, Sander didn't take long to convince, because Chance awoke that night to a soft touch on his arm.

"Run, now!" Svetlana hissed.

"Where?"

"Toward the gorge. You remember, where I found you! Run there, I'll be right behind you!"

Chance, although he had come to detest running in his seasons as a hlessi, ran. When he reached the cliff, he paused, not certain what to do next. At that moment, Granite, Svetlana, Sander, and several other rabbits he didn't recognize came pounding up.

"You've got nowhere to run!" Granite growled, "Surrender!"

"Watershippers don't surrender!" Chance snarled, and instantly wondered why he had said it.

Granite's eyes lit up with surprise, but at that moment, Chance felt someone tackle him. He had only just enough time to realize that it was Sander, and that he was falling, before he hit the water. And everything went black.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

_"Over the hills and far away,_  
_she prays he will return one day._  
_As sure as the rivers reach the seas,_  
_back in his arms he swears she'll be."_

Images flashed before Chance's eyes. He and Blossom, mostly. And then, in between the fog of memories, he saw a wavering black shadow.

"What do you want now, Black Rabbit? Have I come through all this to die here?"

"There is something you must see," the Black Rabbit insisted, "Look!"

Chance looked past him again, and saw, to his horror, Mallow-rah pinned to the ground by two Owslars. Mallow struggled, and one of the Owslars cuffed him, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Do you like that, Mallow?" a familiar voice asked.

"Why, Shay? What have I done to you?" Mallow gasped.

"You have done everything, you weak fool!"

Chance gasped. Shay had stepped out of the shadows and was glaring triumphantly down at Mallow.

"You have held this warren back from what it could truly become! We could have an empire here on Watership Down, but no! There must be mercy, kindness...weakness! That era dies with you, Mallow!"

Mallow stared in disbelief into the smirking features of his Captain of Owsla. That face was the last thing he ever saw, apart from his own blood as it gushed onto the burrow floor.

Shay turned away from Mallow's body in disgust.

"Find the daughter!" he told the guards. "I didn't frame Chance for what happened to Mallow's kits to be stopped by Blossom. If she will not rule this empire by my side, then she will die!"

Chance felt someone pulling him from the water, and very faintly he heard someone screaming his name.

"Chance? Chance! Don't let this go wrong, you bumbling idiot! Wake up!"

His eyes snapped open, and he found himself face to face with Svetlana.

"Did you just call me a bumbling idiot?" he demanded.

Svetlana grinned cheekily at him.

"If anything would wake you, that would."

Sander appeared from behind Svetlana. The big dark grey buck smiled coldly at Chance.

"Glad you made it," he muttered, "You were under there for a long time."

It all flooded back into Chance's mind then.

"Svetlana, Sander," he said, "There's something...I mean...I need your help."

"We already helped you escape..." Sander started, but Svetlana cut him off.

"We'll help, Chance. What's wrong?"

Chance took a deep breath.

"You know how Granite is always talking about this Black Rabbit of Inle character? Well, he exists. As a matter of fact, he's why I'm like this. My fur used to be sienna, not dark brown. I know it sounds crazy, but while I was under the river, the Black Rabbit told me that my home warren is being overthrown by the rabbit who got me banished. He's going to kill the only surviving heir to the Chieftainship, Blossom, if she won't agree to be his mate. I have to save her. Sander..." he glanced at the grey buck, "Sander would do the same if it was you, you know."

Svetlana and Sander exchanged a few words. Then they turned back to Chance.

"We'll help," Svetlana said, "Command us, Chance-rah!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

_"Over the hills and far away,_  
_he swears he will return one day._  
_Far from the mountains and the seas,_  
_back in her arms he swears he'll be."_

Chance, Svetlana, and Sander stood at the base of Watership Down.

"Hey, Chance, won't they recognize you?" Svetlana asked.

Chance laughed bitterly.

"Svetlana, I was light sienna brown when I left here, and now I'm almost black. No, they won't know it's me."

As he said the words, he felt a flicker of unease. What if even Blossom didn't recognize him? He shrugged away the thought, and turned to the two Darkhaveners.

"Ready?"

They nodded.

"Then let's go."

As they reached the top of the hill, Chance heard the unmistakable voice of Shay booming out.

"You all know what became of Mallow! He was a weak fool, and so I put him out of his misery! I would have been happy to allow Blossom to rule by my side, but, as she has refused, she too must die, as must all the weak!"

Chance's dark eyes filled with rage, and he bounded up the hill, followed by Svetlana and Sander. When he reached the top, he saw two rabbits holding a familiar doe still, as Shay raised his paw high, claws extended. In the next few moments, the only thing Chance could see was a deep red haze. When his vision cleared, he realized that he had tackled one of the guards, and he was looking straight into Blossom's green eyes.

"Run!" he cried. The doe stared at him, as if she half recognized him, then she turned and raced away. Suddenly, Chance heard Svetlana cry out. When he turned to look, he saw her pinned down by Shay himself.

"Chance, Sander, go!" she cried, her voice full of pain. Chance started forward, but then someone grabbed his ear and pulled him down the hill.

It was Sander. The big grey buck shook his head, his hard eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"There's nothing you can do for her."

"You're mad!" Chance roared, "Let me go!"

He tried to pull away, but Sander smacked him across the face, hard.

"You can't help her! No one can, now run away! Don't you understand? I love her more than life, but I know we can't save her this way, or your Blossom. We'll make a new plan, Chance. We can still save them."

Chance suddenly felt as if all the air was being squeezed from his lungs. As if in a dream, he turned away and bolted down the hill. As he ran, one word burned itself into his mind.

_Failure...failure...failure..._

* * *

**I am depressing... This is the second to last chapter. Please review! If you review, there MIGHT be a sequel... :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

_"Over the hills and far away,_  
_she prays he will return one day._  
_As sure as the rivers reach the seas,_  
_back in his arms is where she'll be."_

Later that night, Chance and Sander crept back up the hill, this time with a new and improved plan.

"All right, Sander, you know what you have to do?" Chance whispered.

The dark grey buck nodded.

"Find the prison pit, rescue the does, and get them out. But what about you?"

"Oh, don't worry about me," Chance said, "I'm just going to settle an old quarrel."

Sander nodded. Being from Darkhaven, he took it as only natural that Chance would want to challenge his old adversary. As Sander turned away, Chance raced off in the opposite direction. He knew, that if the warren was ever to be free, Shay would have to be defeated.

As the dark-furred buck made his way cautiously along the runs, he was shocked at how quiet everything was. Ordinarily, on a clear night like this, the warren would have been full of activity. But now, the darkness of fear overshadowed it all.

Chance remembered where Mallow's burrow had been, and he correctly guessed that Shay would have taken it for himself. When he reached the burrow, he was surprised to find it unguarded. He slipped inside without a sound, and, once he had seen that Shay was truly alone, he shook the other rabbit roughly.

Shay growled in annoyance.

"What's going on? Who's that?"

"Do you know me, Shay?" Chance growled, "It's Chance."

"So, you've come back, have you?" Shay asked, "Well, now I can kill you!"

"Come on and try!" Chance snarled.

In answer, Shay leaped at him, knocking Chance off his feet with his greater size. Chance scratched at Shay blindly, and felt his swipe connect with the huge rabbit's face. Shay staggered back, and Chance, leaping to his feet, fought on.

* * *

Sander raced through the warren, wondering vaguely where everyone was. As he ran, he was distracted by angry voices.

"I told you, I'm not going back inside that burrow until I Frithing well feel like it, and the Black Rabbit take me if I do anything because you or the so-called Shay-rah says so!"

This was followed by snarling, and a growl of pain from whoever had been doing the protesting.

Sander decided that he had time to spare to help whoever it was, and, hopping around the corner toward the noise, found a large older rabbit being attacked by several of Shay's Owsla. Sander bowled two of them over, knocking each senseless with a few blows of his large paws, then, turning to the stranger, found he had dealt with the other two.

"Thank you," the older rabbit said gruffly, "I don't think we've met, have we?"

"Probably not. I'm Sander, formerly of Darkhaven."

"Bigwig. Darkhaven, aye? What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for a friend, and then a friend of a friend. You don't happen to know which way to the prison pit?"

"I'm not that old," Bigwig muttered, "Follow me."

Sander followed the older buck, until they arrived in a large burrow. Sander started forward, but Bigwig grabbed his ear and pulled him back.

"Unless you want to break your neck falling down there, you'll follow me."

Sander looked closer, and realized that there was a deep pit directly in front of him. He almost certainly would have fallen to his death if not for Bigwig's intervention.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Just stay close."

Sander and Bigwig skirted the edge of the pit, until they reached a slab of stone that was resting on the side of the pit.

"Down there," Bigwig said, "Careful now, lad."

Sander slid down into the pit, and very literally landed on top of Svetlana. The doe stifled an outraged squeak.

"Sander? What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you," Sander replied, licking her cheek affectionately, "Is Chance's friend here?"

"Chance?" a soft voice asked, "Where?"

"He'll be here soon," Sander replied, "Are you Blossom?"

"Yes. Are we going to run away from the warren?"

"Not if Chance has anything to do with it. Come on, let's go find him. Bigwig? Can you find as many of the non-Shay-supporting rabbits, and tell them to imprison the Owsla any way they can?"

The veteran nodded.

"Where are you three going?"

"We have to find Chance."

* * *

They found him in Shay's burrow, slumped on the ground with blood all over him. Shay was there too, dead. At first, they all though Chance was dead too, but Blackberry, once she found them, declared her son alive but only barely. Now came the waiting, to see if Chance would live through the night, or if he would die now, after all he had gone through.

* * *

Chance was now convinced that the Black Rabbit of Inle was toying with him. He had found himself once again in a dark place before the emotionless and merciless Black Rabbit.

"What do you want me to do now? I've done everything you asked me. Are you going to take me now?"

"No. You have fulfilled your destiny. Your curse is lifted. Go back to the light, go back to life, go back to a new world."

Chance suddenly found himself awake in Shay's burrow. It felt as though he had only been out for a few moments, but when he looked around, he discovered that Shay's body was gone. His own wounds seemed miraculously healed, which caused him to wonder if it had all been a dream. But then, he saw Blossom at the entrance of the burrow, and Svetlana, and Sander, and he knew that it had been no dream. Blossom smiled at him, and he raced forward, and they kissed, not caring that Sander and Svetlana were laughing at them. When they finally stopped, Svetlana's first comment was nothing to do with kissing.

"Chance...your fur..."

The sienna buck looked down at his fur, and saw, to his great astonishment, that his fur had changed back to its original sienna.

He smiled, for the first time in a long time.

"Well, in that case, let's go announce it to the warren!"

The four young rabbits raced out of the burrow, not from fear, but from the sheer joy of being alive.

* * *

**It's DONE! I'm sad now. It should not be done! Maybe there will be a sequel, we'll see.**


End file.
